Press releases

The new season traditionally begins with “The Devil in Aachen.” “The play tells the legend of the construction of Aachen Cathedral, and without the Krippekratz, the start of a new season at Schängche just wouldn’t feel right.” When it comes to children’s plays, there’s something for everyone: fairy tales full of magic, stories that will make you laugh, Schängche and his friends right in the thick of the action, and—something we can’t do without—a hearty “Klöppelezupp.” At Christmas, we’ll perform ‘The Frog Prince,’ a puppet opera with lots of singing and all the elements of a Christmas fairy tale—an enchanted forest, a haunted castle, a fairy, and an enchanted prince,” explains artistic director Hanna Birmans.

The children’s play “Unodoz, the Little Dragon” is worth seeing if only for the beautiful dragon heads. Unodoz has blue eyes instead of red ones and can’t breathe fire, and because his parents fear the ridicule of their relatives, he sadly sets out into the world. “The play explores what it’s like to be excluded and brings the story to a happy ending: In Aachen, Unodoz finds friends and a new home with Schängche, Tant Hazzor, and Jretche,” reveals Hanna Birmans.

The adult production of *Der Freischütz* hadn’t been staged for many decades and received a celebrated revival last year in a modern adaptation. “It was so well received that we’re bringing it back for a revival and staging it three more times.” To complement this, we’re bringing back an old play by Will Hermanns, *‘Schängche as Matchmaker’*, a comedy of mistaken identity featuring a miller in love, a fake count, and all the Aachen characters familiar from *Schängche*. An evening of laughter, typical of Aachen,” emphasizes Birmans.

Carnival season is starting so early this time that the five sessions for this season will take place from January 15 to 23. Anyone who wants to attend should mark November 28 on their calendar: Advance ticket sales begin at 10 a.m. in the Red Hall, and remaining tickets will go on sale on December 5.

For the first time in a very long time, ticket prices have been raised slightly. Admission fees for Sunday matinees and children’s plays are four euros for children (reduced rate: three euros) and seven euros for adults (reduced rate: five euros). Tickets for adult plays cost ten euros. “They hadn’t even been adjusted when we switched to the euro,” explains Birmans, who, along with her well-rehearsed ensemble, is looking forward to a season with an audience that sings along, cheers, and laughs.

Information about the plays in the 2026/2027 season

Season Opener – The Devil in Aachen, October 4, 2026, 3:00 p.m.

Unodoz, the little dragon.

A puppet play in three acts by Karin Fiseni, adapted for the puppet stage by Paul Drießen.

In the Scottish Highlands, Unodoz, the little dragon, is born. At first, his parents are delighted, but when Unodoz opens his eyes, they are horrified to discover that he has blue eyes, whereas “real” dragons have red eyes; he also cannot breathe fire. They fear the ridicule of their relatives, and Unodoz is so saddened by this that he decides to leave his home. While singing a sad song, he meets Schängche and finds his first friend in him. Schängche takes him to Aachen and persuades his Aunt Hazzor to take the dragon in. Aunt Hazzor immediately falls in love with the little fellow’s blue eyes and takes on the role of mother. When Unodoz finally rescues Jretche from the Hangeweiher, into which she had fallen, he is even honored by the mayor. Jretche has secretly invited the dragon’s parents to this ceremony, leading to a happy reunion.

Dates: Oct. 11, Oct. 18, Nov. 8, Nov. 15, 2026, at 3 p.m. each day

Christmas Play - The Frog Prince, or "A Little Frog Plays the Harp"

A puppet opera in three acts by Will Hermanns.

Schängche sets out into the world to learn how to be scared, and that turns out to be harder than he thought. In the Enchanted Forest, a sorcerer tries to teach him to be afraid and, while he’s at it, turn him into a frog—but Schängche has a “quick-witted” response. Shortly afterward, he meets the Frog King and promises to free him from his spell. The Frog King, in turn, helps a princess whose golden ball has fallen into the well, since Knight Stüütentüüt has no intention of retrieving it. As a reward, the princess must promise that the frog may be her playmate from now on. Schängche moves on and ends up in a haunted castle, where he gets into a “box match” with the ghost. Even the Devil tries his luck, but he’s no match for Schängche’s “Schnüffjensdues.” In the end, a fairy declares Schängche the winner, the princess kisses the frog, and he turns into a young prince. The only thing Schängche hasn’t learned is to be scared: He isn’t afraid of anyone, and certainly not of ghosts.

Dates: November 29, December 6, December 13, December 20, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. each day

The Miracle Apples

A puppet play in three acts by R. Harten, adapted by Will Hermanns.

Schängche is looking for work and wants to introduce himself at court. There he learns that the princess is seriously ill and that neither the court physician nor his medicine can help her. Schängche quickly realizes that witchcraft is at play and that only the magic apples can save the princess. With the children as his allies, he sets out on a quest. He finds the apples and outwits the sorcerer by appealing to his vanity: the braggart turns into a mouse, and Schängche promptly stuffs it into the sack with the apples. This backfires, because the mouse eats all the apples, and Schängche has to go get new ones. To make matters worse, a spiteful minister follows him, steals the sack, and accidentally sets the sorcerer free, who promptly kidnaps the princess and takes her to his magical island. Schängche tracks him down in his cave, outwits him a second time, and frees the princess—and he succeeds only because the children help him.

Dates: February 14, February 21, February 28, 2027, at 3:00 p.m. each day

The Wishing Lantern

A puppet show in four acts with singing, dancing, and brawling by Will Hermanns.

Only once every hundred years does the Moon Man come to Earth to reward a good person, and this time it’s Schängche’s turn. He receives a wishing lantern that grants him three wishes, along with a little magic spell. He doesn’t have much time to think about what to wish for, though, because Jretche brings bad news: Nieres is in a tight spot. He wanted to help the mayor’s daughter, who has been kidnapped by a bandit chief. Schängche sets out on his search with the lantern, and without the children’s help, he wouldn’t stand a chance. Because in addition to the bandit chief, a witch and her dog Bumbo also stand in his way. Fortunately, the lantern’s magical power proves sufficient in the end, and Schängche is able to strike up a cheerful song.

Dates: March 7, March 14, March 21, 2027, at 3:00 p.m. each day

Plays for Adults

*Der Freischütz* by Hein Janssen, 2026

Opera based on a work by Carl Maria von Weber

Due to its great popularity last season, *Der Freischütz* will be included in the 26/27 season.

In this version for the puppet theater, *Der Freischütz*, based on Hein Janssen’s adaptation, tells—just like the original—the story of the young hunter Max, who may marry his beloved Agathe only if he passes a decisive shooting test. Fearing failure, he allows Kaspar to persuade him to cast magical “free bullets” that are supposed to never miss their mark. But these bullets are under the influence of the sinister Samiel, the hellish hunter. While most of the bullets help Max, the last one is guided by Samiel—and threatens to take Agathe’s life. In the end, however, good triumphs over evil, not least thanks to the help of Schängchen and Jretchen: Agathe is saved, Kaspar meets his doom, and Max, after a period of probation, wins the hand of his beloved. The fact that Janssen has Nieres, of all people, compete in the shooting contest ensures that the otherwise gloomy legend takes a humorous and comical turn.

Dates: October 1, November 5, December 3, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. each day

"Schängchen as a Matchmaker" or "Two Hongs and a Knouch."

A puppet play in five acts by Will Hermanns.

Müller Mehlwurm is in love with his ward, Lenchen, and wants to marry her, but Lenchen loves the hunter Heinrich—and that’s a recipe for trouble. Schängche wants to help the two find happiness, so he takes a job under a false name as a farmhand for Mehlwurm and, on top of that, makes a bet with the Count of Kalkofen. But that’s not all: he pretends to be “Count Schängche” in front of Mehlwurm’s sister Eulalia, and she promptly falls madly in love with him.

All of this promises to be a wild mess!

Dates: May 13, June 3, July 1, 2027, at 7:30 p.m. each day

Tickets:
Children's plays on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Tickets for adult performances are available Monday through Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., only during the week of the performance, by calling 0241 172016 or at any time by email: puppenbuehne@mail.aachen.de

Ticket Prices for Children's Plays: Children: 4 EUR, reduced 3 EUR; Adults: 7 EUR, reduced 5 EUR

Ticket Prices for Adult Performances: Adults: 10 EUR

People in Aachen celebrate Carnival with a glass of Schängche Fastelovvend*

Jan. 15, Jan. 16, 2027, at 7:00 p.m.; Jan. 17, 2027, at 3:00 p.m.; Jan. 22, Jan. 23, 2027, at 7:00 p.m.

Admission: 11 euros

Advance ticket sales for members of the Friends’ Association on November 28, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. Remaining tickets on December 5, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. Barockfabrik, Löhergraben 22, 52064 Aachen

*Events organized by the Förderkreis Öcher Schängche e.V.